The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah

Chapter 20

Jeremiah is smitten and put in the stocks—He prophesies that all Judah will be taken captive by Babylon.

1 Now aPashur the son of bImmer the priest, who was also cchief governor in the house of the Lord, heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things.

2 Then Pashur asmote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the Lord.

3 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Pashur brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, The Lord hath not called thy name Pashur, but aMagor-missabib.

4 For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends: and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thine eyes shall behold it: and I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them acaptive into Babylon, and shall slay them with the sword.

5 Moreover I will deliver all the astrength of this city, and all the labours thereof, and all the bprecious things thereof, and all the treasures of the kings of Judah will I give into the hand of their enemies, which shall spoil them, and take them, and carry them to cBabylon.

6 And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thine house shall go into captivity: and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied alies.

7 ¶O Lord, thou hast adeceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in bderision daily, every one mocketh me.

8 For since I spake, I cried out, I cried aviolence and spoil; because the word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily.

9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a aburning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not bstay.

10 ¶For I heard the adefaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my bfamiliars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.

11 But the Lordis with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not aprevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting bconfusion shall never be forgotten.

12 But, O Lord of hosts, that atriest the righteous, and seest the breins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my cause.

13 Sing unto the Lord, praise ye the Lord: for he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoers.

14 ¶aCursedbe the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.

15 Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad.

16 And let that man be as the cities which the Lordaoverthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide;

17 Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me.

18 Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and asorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?